Addressing a meeting of the Awami League central executive committee on Monday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said she had information beforehand that the global lender would scrap the loan agreement because of a bank’s managing director.

“Dr Yunus has an outstanding contribution to the world economy. We could have taken his support. But instead of doing so, the government is conducting propaganda against him,” Fakhrul said.

He was talking to reporters after a visit to the grave of late president Ziaur Rahman in the capital.

Fakhrul alleged that the premier has frequently been making indecent remarks against Prof Yunus, who is the pride of the nation.

“The way the prime minister and other ministers are commenting about him [Dr Yunus] is simply unexpected,” he said.

The BNP leader also criticised the government’s move to open bank accounts in a bid to collect money from people for the Padma Bridge.

“This is nothing but an effort to divert public attention from corruption allegations,” he said.

“I would like to tell the government: first punish the corrupt persons and then try to resolve the matter through dialogue with the World Bank,” Fakhrul added.